Are you effected or not effected by food allergies? Either way you need to become more informed. Food allergies affect much more than what ends up on the plate—they’re deeply woven into the emotional fabric of households, shaping the experiences of kids, parents, adults, and entire families. In this heartfelt, practical episode, we explore those hidden layers from socialization, quality of life and self-esteem. Folks suffer from anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma. Dr. Dennis educates us all on why we need to become more informed, how we can find resilience, and manage countertransference around the "right" way to intervene. You can learn more about Dr. Dennis at ksdfamilysolutions.com and email her at drdennis@ksdfamilysolutions.com A resource:https://www.foodallergycounseling.org/ Dr. Kelly Sullivan Dennis is a licensed clinical social worker with a PhD and over 30 years of experience working with individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan. She serves as an assistant professor in the Social Work Department at Molloy University, where she teaches both undergraduate students and graduate students through the Fordham-Molloy MSW Collaborative. Her academic work is informed by her clinical expertise and her dedication to fostering inclusive, justice-driven social work practice.

In her clinical work, Dr. Dennis supports clients coping with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, chronic illness, and major life transitions. She has a special interest in working with children and families to help manage complex issues such as food allergies, chronic illness, and family system challenges. Her approach is strengths-based and integrative, drawing on evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), trauma-focused intervention, play therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused counseling.

Throughout her career, Dr. Dennis has worked in a wide range of settings, including schools, mental health centers, community agencies, parent resource centers, libraries, and places of worship in order to bring mental health support into the heart of the community. She is also an active community educator, leading workshops on grief and loss, trauma, crisis response, parenting children with complex needs, and navigating life with food allergies.

Dr. Dennis is a proud member of the Academy of Food Allergy Counseling (AFAC) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Her work is guided by a strong commitment to social justice, human rights, and the belief that every individual deserves dignity and access to compassionate, competent care.

Do you doubt your abilities? Feel like a fraud? And yet, there isn't evidence that you're a failure? You're struggling with imposter syndrome, a phenomenon affecting up to 70% of adults at some point with 25–30% of high achievers suffering regularly. Imposter syndrome doesn’t just sap confidence—it can fuel burnout, anxiety, and perfectionism that hold you back . If you've ever thought, “Soon they’ll find out I’m not really that good,” this episode is your proof that you’re far from alone—and far more capable than you believe. In this episode, Dr. Meyers shares her own experiences with imposter syndrome and offers guidance on how to manage the feelings. Reclaim your sense of belonging, and celebrate your real accomplishments.

Judith Belmont, MS is a psychotherapist and author who offers practical approaches to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Through examples, she translates CBT principles into user-friendly tools for personal growth, emotional wellness, and mental health education. Her work focuses on helping people identify and challenge negative thought patterns, build healthier habits, and improve self-esteem. With actionable strategies her approach helps to manage anxiety, stress, and everyday challenges. www.belmontwellness.com; amazon.com/author/judithbelmont

Mary Anne Cohen, Director of the New York Center for Eating Disorders, coined the term "emotional eating". In this episode, she offers a nuanced perspective on Ozempic acknowledging its potential to provide relief from compulsive eating yet cautions that this benefit is only part of the story: the need to adress the deep emotional wounds at the heart of many eating disorders. She warns that Ozempic can feed dangerous cultural narratives that equate thinness with moral or emotional worthiness—reinforcing stigma around body diversity and compounding shame. Although we are still learning all of the information around weight-loss drugs, Cohen feels that Ozempic must be paired with a comprehensive personal strategy and invites us to think critically

There's a lot we can understand about the sibling abuse experience and outcome for the survivor through a theoretical lens. Dr. Meyers presents the theories in a digestible manner that helps anyone seeking to learn more about themselves or survivors and how relationships can be challenging. There is a bright side: resiliency is addressed as is therapy as an imperative measure to leading a more satisying life and a sense of self-worth.

One of many anxieties about working with people and their emotional lives is contending with suicidal gestures. This case presentation of a 16 year old with depression and anxiety and a history of child abuse uncovers the importance of accurate diagnoses and highlights the need for collaborative efforts to intervene appropriately. Further, rectifying one's own capabilities as a therapist based on needed expertise with particular populations must be prioritized over the desire to handle all.

After ten years of sexual abuse by her stepfather, Nicole Braddock Bromley found the courage to disclose to her mother at 14 years old. Though she encountered a receptive and supportive response from her mother, the trauma of abuse and subsequent events created deep wounds. Speaker/author/survivor and internationally recognized advocate for sexual abuse and trafficking victims, Nicole shares how she has turned her wounds into scars and became a model for healing, finding forgiveness, and using storytelling to transform lives.

How do we undertand the trauma immigrants have experienced in their home country and now our own? A professor, community social worker, and BSW student share personal and professional experiences that fuel their passion and compassion for the immigrant population. Join us as we dispel the notion that immigration is a new issue and confront this administration's conflation of terrorism and immigration and the need for border security. How do we help navigate the fears of immigrants and citizens? Our guests make a call to challenge dis/misinformation and speak truth to power.